In his annual speech in Parliament, Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, said government can provide people with better public services despite the challenging fiscal backdrop.
This briefing was produced for Parliament in response to correspondence we received from The Rt Hon Frank Field.
Our annual report and accounts provides a detailed account of all our work, our performance progress and the impact of our work in 2024-25.
I last posted to this blog in late April as the country was in the teeth of the COVID-19 pandemic, explaining how we were maintaining our operations and adjusting our work programme in the light of the government response to the virus. Now, in late July, most of the UK is gradually emerging from lockdown […]
We report on our investigation arising from the findings of Internal Audit for the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman regarding the management of conflicts of interest in procuring services during a fundamental change programme.
We focus on specific concerns about the financial support provided to students attending some alternative HE colleges and other providers.
This report examines the arrangements for disabled students at Plymouth University whose support requirements were assessed by an assessment centre based on the University’s main campus.
This series of papers summarises the methodological approaches we have taken in carrying out innovative or novel analysis. Such analysis is conducted under our statutory authority to examine and report to Parliament on the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which government departments and other bodies have used their resources.
The Audit insights papers are methodological summaries and do not make new observations about value for money.
Responses to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests made to the NAO in 2023.
This paper sets out how we used an analytical technique called multilevel regression modelling to investigate the factors affecting levels of attendance at accident and emergency (A&E) departments by patients registered at a GP practice.
In response to questions raised by the House of Commons Health Committee in late 2013 and wider Parliamentary interest, we conducted an investigation into five specific concerns about NHS Property Services. Our investigation established the facts relating to these concerns.
May 2014
We examine the Education Funding Agency’s oversight of the Durand Academy Trust’s compliance with guidance on conflicts of interest and related party transactions.
The NAO’s findings from its investigation into whether £1.3m of donations from a charity, the William Openshaw Street Foundation, were eligible to be matched with funds from the Cabinet Office’s Grassroots Grants Programme.
The NAO has today published an investigation of two grants awarded by the Big Lottery Fund and one awarded by the Cabinet Office to three related organisations.
The total amount of outstanding Carer’s Allowance overpayment debt rose to £250 million in 2023-24, increasing from £150 million in 2018-19.
This paper sets out how we used a modelling technique called ‘discrete event simulation’ to investigate a local maternity service.
The MoD’s current controls for how it manages two major military programmes on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are clear.
In our June 2012 report for the Department for Work and Pensions we recommended ways in which it could strengthen its oversight of the contract.
This NAO impacts case study represents one example where there has been some beneficial change, whether financial or non-financial, resulting from our involvement.
Data analytics has become an integral part of the audit process. And where a few years ago it was an area where we were exploring and creating tactical solutions to problems, today the NAO, like many organisations, has developed a strong capability and is making significant progress towards the widespread adoption of data analytics across […]
Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, outlines lessons from NAO reports into the government’s handling of COVID-19 in a keynote speech at the Houses of Parliament.